ch. xii.] Pleasant Wanderings. 233 



After our luncheon I started with our guides to ascend 

 the mountain, leaving Mr. Cowie, who had a lame foot, 

 to shoot around the village until my return. We reached 

 the summit in about an hour, but were much disap- 

 pointed, as the vegetation was not nearly so luxuriant as 

 that on Timantangis. Orchids were scarce, and ferns 

 wanting in variety and beauty, although several were new 

 to science. Near the summit I heard a little song-bird 

 singing very sweetly ; and although I did not see it, I am 

 convinced it was the same species I had previously heard 

 with so much pleasure on " Kina Balu," at a much 

 higher altitude. This mountain is well wooded at the 

 top, but not so densely as is Timantangis; nor is the 

 undergrowth so rich in variety. The views from the top 

 are simply lovely — a panorama of fertile farm-dotted 

 hills and golden plains, stretching away to the blue sea, 

 where the main island is fringed by coral islets. A 

 native pointed out the harbour to us, and the peak of 

 Pulo Siassi was plainly visible. In the descent I made 

 a detour from the little spring or watering-place near the 

 village, and passing through clumps of coffee-bushes, 

 with here and there ripe fruit in plenty, we came beneath 

 a grove of large durian trees which were in bloom, the 

 ground beneath being covered with their fallen blossoms. 

 Here I shot several pigeons and paroquets ; and in 

 returning to the village we repeatedly saw a large amor- 

 phophallus bearing foetid flowers as large as a sugar basin, 

 and of a dark maroon colour. On cutting open a flower 

 I found its basin half full of ants of two kinds and nume- 

 rous small black coleoptera were running about in the 

 spathe. I may say that I have rarely ever examined 

 tubular flowers here in the tropics without finding insects 

 of some kind engaged within, and in the case of avoids 

 particularly, their spathes are generally full of such tiny 



